Hi,
Don't worry about your lack of experience, it's your enthusiasm and comittment that are the important factors for most supervisors.
Have you spoken to your old lecturers / project supervisers? They can be a good source of information about who will be offering what PhD etc. They may even have information about funding attached to a masters if that's the road that you want to take.
I went straight from my degree to this PhD and although it's been really tough at times, it's really been worth it. I think that you'll surprise yourself about how quickly you pick things up and get into the general swing of things...I know that I am!
Did you have a good working relationship with your undergrad project supervisor..would he/she be willing to look into funding for you to continue your research into a PhD? And remember, they're great contacts for networking.
Hope this helps.
R

If you weren't offered your preferred PhD, would you be happy to take up this opportunity if offered to you? If the answer is yes, then definitely go for it...afterall, you gotta be in it to win it. If, on the other hand you think that even as a last resort you would probably hang on and wait for the perfect PhD than accept, it's probably not worth your time and effort to put together a relevant CV and covering letter etc, get references together and all the other time consuming stuff involved with applications.

If you've got everything ready to send however, it's probably worth a shot...and who knows, you may get another lead from it.

I've managed to stroll through the lab a few times...even put my labcoat on on one occasion. But, yes...finding it very hard to get back into the swing of things! Have made a plan today though, mainly involving booking pieces of equipment...I thought it would force me to get back to work as I'd feel guilty if I then didn't use my booking!

Wow!I never intended on creating all this with my question! I appreciate all of your responses though and it's made me more determined to try and get this project back on track rather than start afresh. I know that it's going to be more difficult this way...but perhaps it may be beneficial in the long run as it may help me be a bit more assertive and confident!

Good luck

Have you spoken to your 'supervisor that would have been', you never know, as they were impressed by you the first time round, there's no reason why they won't be again. I didn't actually choose this PhD, it kinda chose me. I was working as a research assistant and my supervisor asked me to apply for it...and here I am. I guess I'm quite fortunate really...

I did my BSc at Plymouth uni, but now I'm based at the Peninsula medical school, which is linked to both Plymouth and Exeter uni. What made you decline the offer from Bristol...from what I've heard it's a pretty good uni. I was once tempted by a their biochemistry undergrad degree, but decided on Plymouth in the end even though I didn't like the uni at first, but I actually have a very fond attachment to the old place now....awwww, the good old days!

Oh, you poor thing, hope it all works out ok. We have an endocrine pharmacology research group here at the PMS, cool supervisor too, a really nice guy, and there's a clinical neurobiology group too. I've often seen fully funded studentships available within these groups, so if you didn't mind being situated in the South West, you should check out the PMS website.

Hey Matthew,

I think that a project that uses SEM would be more enjoyable, although looking at the applications of SEM could be quite interesting too. I've decided to try and get my current project back on track and to try and steer it back towards the IHC and microscopy techniques that I was originally supposed to be using. Unfortunately SEM wouldn't really be of any use in this project at the moment,but TEM would be ideal...just need to convince 'He who must be obeyed'!
Whats your field of research by the way...if you don't mind me asking?

Your right of course Apollo, quitting is quitting for whatever reason. So, I've decided to try and work with what I've got. I've got the background knowledge and I have a good idea of where I'd like this project to go, I just need the courage to voice my opinion with a bit more assertiveness! No more goldfish...more rodent now me thinks, I'll just gnaw away at the bugger until he accepts my ideas!

Hi Matthew,
I'd love to be more involved with electron microscopy, both TEM & SEM. Using confocal at present, but have had no real training and I'm struggling to be honest! Love using SEM, it would be a dream to have an SEM based study!

So, although I'm not a quitter...I am tempted to look elsewhere.

Yes Apollo, I knew it would never be easy. I just thought that I'd be more involved in the planning and be more independent in the research process. I'll give you an example of a normal week, I spend hours of my 'free' time reading and reviewing other researchers work. I then spend hours collecting and processing my samples. Just before the weekly meeting, my supervisor will ask for all of this info, which he then presents to the meeting. He then passes over to me...when it's all been covered and there's nothing left to say! I feel like an idiot most of the time, as I have to present him with my ideas before the meeting and he always dismisses them...so I literally have nothing to offer. I usually end up doing a goldfish impression, just opening and closing my mouth in the hope that I'll think of something to say!

Thanks Matthew,
The PhD that I'm interested in is based in London and is in a completely different field to what I'm studying now...so I'm hoping that they've never heard of my current supervisor! I think that if I was able to have a bit more influence on my project and go on the courses that I feel I need, then this PhD could still work out. Ideally I'd like to stay where I am now, but it's not easy finding funded projects in this neck of the woods. If anyone knows of any microscopy based projects on offer I'd be very grateful to hear about them.

Hi all,
I have real problems with my supervisor. I have only been doing this PhD for 3 months, but I've already been asked to submit abstracts for conferences 3 times, the first was only 1 month after I started! He doesn't listen to my ideas, constantly changes my project plan to the extent that I don't really have a plan anymore and seems to have no intention of letting me use my own initiative. I thought that a PhD was an opportunity to work more independently and plan your own project, but I feel like a general lab technician most of the time. How easy is it to get on another PhD once you have already started one? I'm not usually a quitter, but I don't think that I can take much more!